Don’t be the
victim of a scam
If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
You may have seen advertisements that promise work
permits and guarantee high-paying jobs in Canada. Some offer scholarships to
study at Canadian universities or colleges. Potential newcomers to Canada
should be aware that many offers like these are fraudulent. In fact, using the
services of people who make such promises may result in your application to
Canada being rejected.
Canada’s immigration system is based on fairness. Every
application receives equal consideration. No one has special connections, and
no one can promise your application will be given special treatment or
guarantee that it will be approved.
What you need to
know
·
You are not obliged to hire a representative, including
a consultant, lawyer, Quebec notary or paralegal regulated by a law society, to
apply for a visa or for Canadian citizenship, but if you do, choose carefully.
·
Representatives do not have special connections
with Canadian government officials and cannot guarantee you a visa. Nobody can
guarantee you a visa.
·
Only Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
officers can decide whether or not to issue a visa. Don’t be tempted into using
false documents. It is a serious crime to misrepresent yourself by making false
statements or submitting false documents when dealing with CIC. If you do this,
your application will be refused. You will also face serious consequences.
Depending on the situation, these may include:
1. no
entry into Canada for at least five years;
2. a
permanent record of fraud in CIC’s database;
3. revocation
of your permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship;
4. being
charged with a crime; or
5. removal
from Canada.
·
Do not enter into a marriage that is not genuine
in order to obtain permanent residence in Canada. Beware of Internet scams and
false websites. The official CIC website is www.cic.gc.ca.
·
You will find free information for any type of
visa on CIC’s website.
·
Processing fees are the same at all Canadian
visa offices around the world. Fees in local currency are based on official
exchange rates and correspond with the standard fee charged in Canadian
dollars.
·
Canadian visa offices will never ask you to
deposit money into an individual’s personal bank account or to transfer money
through aspecific private money transfer company.
·
If you have questions, contact CIC or the visa
office responsible for your area.
Choosing a
representative, a consultant or a lawyer
If you do decide to hire a representative, choose
carefully:
·
Ask someone you trust to recommend someone;
·
Talk to several representatives before you
decide which one to hire; check references and find out how long they have been
in business;
·
Make sure you understand exactly what services
they will provide, and how much they will charge you. Get this information in
writing.
·
Make sure they are authorized by the Government
of Canada.
The only people authorized by the Government of Canada to
charge a fee to represent or advise you on immigration, refugee and citizenship
matters are:
·
lawyers and paralegals who are members in good
standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society;
·
Notaries Who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaries du Québec; and
·
citizenship or immigration consultants who are
members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory
Council.
The Government of Canada will not deal with unauthorized
representatives who charge a fee for their services.
To find out whether the person you are thinking of hiring
to represent you is authorized by the Government of Canada, ask if they are
members of one of the organizations listed above. You can then check with the
organization to make sure the person is a member in good standing. Contact
information for all of these organizations can be found on the CIC website at
immigration.gc.ca/antifraud.
Once you have chosen a representative, make sure the
representative updates you on your application on a regular basis. Remember—you
must accept responsibility for all the information in your application whether
you complete it or it is completed by your representative. It is against the
law to give false or misleading information to Citizenship and Immigration
Canada.
